Should there be an increase in tax on alcohol?

[Stuart*]

After skimming to catch up with the debate (owing to Hyma's inadvertant cleansing techniques)......But I noticed that Nini just wrote that:

It's cultural, most other countries don't use alcohol as medication to numb their senses from the world that surrounds them. Most don't use it as the sole means to have fun by and most can actually handle their whiskey.

I'm pissing in the wind here, I have no idea.

It begs the question as to why the average UK Citizen feels the need to invest a large proportion of their income in getting pissed out of their mind though.

[rdobbie]

Wow. 6 pages of high quality debate and nobody's said "tax is a blunt instrument" yet! I've lost count of how many times I've heard that phrase being used about this subject on telly and radio in the last few weeks.

Fair play to you all.

[Mr Q]

Wow. 6 pages of high quality debate and nobody's said "tax is a blunt instrument" yet! I've lost count of how many times I've heard that phrase being used about this subject on telly and radio in the last few weeks.

Fair play to you all.

Oh yes - tax is a blunt instrument. So there.

[Stuart*]

Wow. 6 pages of high quality debate and nobody's said "tax is a blunt instrument" yet!

We've said it many times, just in different ways! The "blunt" bit was used when I hit Connor over the head cos he couldn't understand

[OneThingsForSure]

It begs the question as to why the average UK Citizen feels the need to invest a large proportion of their income in getting pissed out of their mind though.

And with that comment I think I may have the answer.

We work too f**king hard, that's what.

We work longer hours and have less public holidays than our continental counterparts. Because the pace of life is far more relaxed on the continent, there is less need for a "release."

Think about it. We have a "living for the weekend" culture in this country, which in turn is fueling the booze binge.

With the exception of an 18-30, a 2Wentys holiday or Ibiza, go to most clubs on the continent and they'll be open until 6 or 7 in the morning, 7 days a week.

I went to such a club in Spain not too long ago, and not one person was visibly worse for wear at 4:30am.

Furthermore you have the "Tapas" culture out there. Me and my friends would order a round of draft San Miguel beers and these were no bigger than a red wine glass. You then got anything ranging from Parma Ham and crackers to Tacos or pasta with your drink. Effectively over 5 rounds of beers, we got a free evening meal into the bargain, but fundamentally this consistent eating slows down the absorption rate.

Meanwhile in this country we think that "Eating's Cheating" so go out, cane it up then once we're legless, order a kebab from somewhere where dodgy doesn't come close.

Admittedly the weather in the UK doesn't help but by introducing a Tapas culture not only are people slowing down their absorption rate but fundamentally they're getting something for nothing, when you look at it from a consumer point of view.

And which Joe Average British caner would say no to free food?

[Stuart*]

It begs the question as to why the average UK Citizen feels the need to invest a large proportion of their income in getting pissed out of their mind though.

And with that comment I think I may have the answer.
We work too f**king hard, that's what.

Nice idea, but I doubt it. I may retact this in later posts.

We work longer hours and have less public holidays than our continental counterparts. Because the pace of life is far more relaxed on the continent, there is less need for a "release."

Well, if you look at Germany for an example, their holidays fall on a particular date, and it's tough shit if it's a weekend. Handy though if it falls mid-week. I started work there on a wednesday, and suddenly had a "holiday thursday" - unheard of here! Overall they average LESS!

Think about it. We have a "living for the weekend" culture in this country, which in turn is fueling the booze binge.

Partially agreed but alot of the youth are employed in retail which populates the Saturday and Sunday retail employment pool. "Living for the weekend" has moved to perhaps "living for the days off" which could be mid week.

[Mr Q]

We work too f**king hard, that's what.

I don't find that a convincing argument at all. Especially given that much of what we've been talking about here is teenagers - most of whom probably don't work, and if they do, few of them will be working full time.

Admittedly the weather in the UK doesn't help but by introducing a Tapas culture not only are people slowing down their absorption rate but fundamentally they're getting something for nothing, when you look at it from a consumer point of view.

And which Joe Average British caner would say no to free food?

Well, while I can't deny a certain affection for Tapas - Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world - it's something unique to Spain. You can just artificially introduce that "culture" to Britain or anywhere else in the world. If it's what people want, of course you'll see a migration and evolution of ideas and concepts. But the fact that you don't see Tapas in Britain suggests it's not what Britons expect of a night out.

As for getting 'something for nothing' - consumers simply aren't. If they were getting something for nothing, then businesses would be losing out and hence wouldn't do it. The cost of Tapas is likely to be incorporated into the price of drinks (which was certainly my hazy recollection of one particular night out just off Las Ramblas), and/or it's calculated that consumers will buy more drinks if they're getting food as well. The latter point is often the logic behind why some pubs will have nuts or pretzels freely available - such salty foods make people feel thirsty, so they end up buying more drinks. This may certainly be a feature of at least some Tapas offerings.

[Gavin Scott]

Well, while I can't deny a certain affection for Tapas - Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world - it's something unique to Spain.

Barcelona is in Catalonia, not Spain. It's a little like saying Edinburgh, England.

Anyway, I would agree that there is a culture of "living for the weekend" here. I share it. But then, I'm perfectly entitled to do so.

[martindtanderson]

I don't drink alcohol so it doesn't bother me if it increases.

[Mr Q]

Well, while I can't deny a certain affection for Tapas - Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world - it's something unique to Spain.

Barcelona is in Catalonia, not Spain. It's a little like saying Edinburgh, England.

Oooh - I knew someone was going to pull me up on that. The difference though, although I might be wrong on this, is that Catalonia is part of Spain. It might enjoy significant autonomy, but it is nonetheless a province of Spain. That is quite distinct from saying "Edinburgh, England" because Edinburgh is in Scotland which is not part of England, but rather the United Kingdom.

Nevertheless, I am generally sensitive to these sorts of local issues, and my reference to Barcelona was purely out of admiration for that city, and not at all an attempt to minimise or ignore the desire of some Catalans to achieve independence.

[Gavin Scott]

Well, while I can't deny a certain affection for Tapas - Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world - it's something unique to Spain.

Barcelona is in Catalonia, not Spain. It's a little like saying Edinburgh, England.

Oooh - I knew someone was going to pull me up on that. The difference though, although I might be wrong on this, is that Catalonia is part of Spain. It might enjoy significant autonomy, but it is nonetheless a province of Spain. That is quite distinct from saying "Edinburgh, England" because Edinburgh is in Scotland which is not part of England, but rather the United Kingdom.

Nevertheless, I am generally sensitive to these sorts of local issues, and my reference to Barcelona was purely out of admiration for that city, and not at all an attempt to minimise or ignore the desire of some Catalans to achieve independence.

You're really quite charming, Mr Q. I'm satisfied by your explanation.